Serendipity
by piyo-nii
Summary: Even in the midst of war, life goes on. Whether they bask in the light or hide in the shadows, no one is impervious to periods of reflection. These are the untold stories of warriors whose fates were intertwined. Such an event could be seen as anything but a happy accident, but destiny tends to be a fickle maiden. (Collection of random one-shots, several pairings)
1. Oath

**A/N: It's been a couple of years since I last wrote a fic, so I'm trying to get back into the groove of things by launching this baby. Serendipity will be a collection of 25 stories, all revolving around _something_ in the KH universe. I'm not planning on incorporating any AU chapters, but we'll have to see. I'm also a little biased to some pairings, so there may be a couple of hints here and there. Updates will depend on my schedule.**

 **I also highly suggest that you don't read this if you're not caught up with the series. I don't wanna be the one to spoil anything for you! :(**

 **I don't own anything, by the way. If I did, Terra and Aqua would totes be married by now.**

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 **l** _Episode 01 - Oath_ **l**

"...Your face is all serious again. What are you thinking about?"

A pair of aquamarine eyes narrowed at the brunet, whose face was adorned with a curious frown. While it had been a month since they saved the worlds from Xemnas (or "Mansex", as Sora often joked), Riku found himself feeling lethargic throughout the day. He even tried to take periodic naps to alleviate his fatigue, only to be disappointed when his body continued to protest against the slightest twitch of a muscle. How his spiky-haired companion managed to retain his energy would forever remain a mystery to him.

Of course, he'd never tell Sora that he was tired. The mere thought of the never-ending taunts made the keyblade wielder want to wince.

Suppressing a dramatic groan, Riku stretched his taut arms and rose from the sand, shooting a playful glare at his best friend. Sora simply grinned in response before plopping down beside him. While Riku could sense that he wanted to continue the conversation, Sora remained silent as his gaze wandered towards the setting sun. When they were younger, observing the sky's preparation for rest wasn't interesting in the slightest - they much preferred sparring or looking for beetles. Funny how it took several near-death experiences to finalize their true affinity for the swirls of tangerine and crimson. Small talk could always be conducted later, but watching the sunset was an event that both boys had missed terribly. It was something they had learned to appreciate after being gone for so long.

After a few minutes of peace, Riku's soft sigh permeated the salty air. "It's funny how we- ...no, _I_ tried so hard to escape this place," the silver-haired teen muttered under his breath, barely loud enough for Sora to hear. "And in the end, here we are again."

Even though Sora seemed fixated on the shimmering sea, he hummed in agreement. "But you're happy, right?"

Chuckling dryly, the taller of the two reached over to the brunet and mussed his gravity-defying hairdo, much to said brunet's chagrin. "As happy as I can be, despite being stuck here with you."

"H-Hey!" Sora flailed and recoiled against his friend's touch, but his cobalt eyes revealed nothing but mirth. His pout of disapproval only amused Riku even further. With a hearty laugh, he retracted his arm, laying it to rest on the pearly white sand.

Truth be told, returning to his friends – returning to their _home_ – had been one of the most emotional moments of his life. After landing in the Islands' famed sparkling ocean, the familiar sensation of cool saltwater almost drew tears to his eyes. However, he was able to compose himself quickly, converting the overwhelming sense of relief into pure euphoria.

Unfortunately, the past had a habit of catching up with him. The days following their arrival were dulled with regret. While Riku attempted to put on a brave front for Sora and Kairi, the two were able to notice that their friend was slowly withering from the inside. A million questions shot through his head daily, all centered around the same theme: Why did he ever want to _leave_?

Realizing that the other boy had gone quiet, Sora shook off Riku's hand and punched him lightly. "Lighten up a little," he chided, crossing his lanky arms afterwards. "You were curious! We were young, and it happens-"

"You don't get it," the older teen interrupted. "I was being selfish and impulsive. The only reason why I wanted to explore other worlds was because I wanted to get stronger." His fingers curled into the palm of his hand. In his quest for power and supremacy, he had fallen to the darkness and risked the lives of those who mattered most. _'I can't be forgiven for that.'_ "I failed to keep my word. I don't deserve a keyblade."

Confused, Sora's eyebrows scrunched together in thought as he processed the information. "Did you make a promise or something?" The whole scenario felt downright foreign to the young hero. He couldn't recall a time he was forced to swear anything, besides his loyalty to his friends.

Riku's frown deepened as he turned to face the brunet. "It... was a long time ago," he began, running a hand through his platinum tresses. "Your dad brought us to the play island, as usual. We raced to the paopu fruit tree and watched the sunset..."

 _The sky was emitting an ethereal glow as robust oranges mixed with reds and pinks. Both boys were relaxing at their favorite spot, recovering from the nonstop races that Riku had a knack for winning. Sora's sporadic panting was nearly inaudible against the constant crashing of the waves, but it was obvious that the running had took its toll on the small child._

 _"...I see your dad," Riku said, pointing at the humble rowboat that was slowly rocking against the pier. The slight frown on his face disappeared as a smug smirk took its place. "If you're that tired, we should go-"_

 _"I'm not tired," the brunet boy whined as he launched himself away from the curved tree trunk. "I'll prove to you that I'm faster! Race 'ya to the dock!" Without another word, Sora took off in a blur as he sprinted towards the boat. Noticing that the older boy was lagging, he released a jovial laugh. "C'mon," Sora called out mockingly. "You call that running?!"_

 _Rolling his eyes, Riku jumped off of the tree and began his walk to the pier. Competition was fun and all, but letting his friend win wasn't a big deal. After all, the silver-haired boy knew that he could take back his record tomorrow._

 _As he approached his destination, the eldest couldn't help but notice the tall figure standing by the shoreline. Squinting his eyes against the sun, Riku stared at the stranger's broad back. The first thing he managed to notice was that his pants were weirdly shaped. The ridiculous style made the boy want to snicker, but he remained silent to avoid attracting their attention. Upon closer inspection, however, the man's form-fitting shirt showed off his toned figure. Judging by this person's physique, they must be pretty strong. That was enough to score a few cool points in Riku's book._

 _Furthermore, he'd be lying if he wasn't intrigued by his presence. After all, no one lived on the play island, and Riku would've known if the man lived on the mainland. There was something about his guy that made him want to come closer..._

 _Without a second thought, the boy cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, "Hey!" As the stranger turned to face him, Riku swallowed the apprehension that bubbled in his stomach. Even from this distance, it was obvious that the guy was huge! If he wasn't careful, he could end up on the bottom of his shoe... Inhaling deeply, Riku headed towards the man calmly, giving a shy smile once they stood side by side._

 _The mysterious man's face appeared to be strict at a first glance, but his eyes were full of kindness and... curiosity? Riku's breathing stilled as the giant kneeled down, presumably to make proper eye contact. Fists tightening at his side, the young islander continued to stand his ground. There was no way he was gonna let this guy scare him!_

 _"Hey," the stranger replied in return. His voice was a deep baritone, but it didn't sound like the bad guy from the movie Riku watched last week. This calmed his nerves considerably._

 _Tilting his head, the silver-haired youth crossed his arms and tapped his right foot. "You're... you're from another world, aren't you?"_

 _Pride swelled in his chest as the man's features were overtaken with surprise. It seemed as if he was at a loss for words, but he shook his head. "How do you know about that," he asked. His posture screamed concern, but the interested tone said otherwise._

 _"I heard that there was a kid who left this place. For good," Riku recalled absentmindedly as he kicked at the sand underneath his feet. "I wanna be like that kid. I wanna become strong, and I know that somewhere out there, I can find the strength that I need."_

 _"And what would you need that strength for?"_

 _The young boy paused for a second to ponder his answer. With a curt smile, Riku looked up at man with newfound confidence. "To protect the things that matter. You know, like my friends."_

Sora's face lit up with remembrance as his friend finished his story. "I remember that guy," he exclaimed, allowing his body to fall backwards and land on the beach. "Although, I didn't stop to say hi... do you think he got mad?"

Shaking his head, Riku smirked. "Nah, I don't think he cared."

Cobalt eyes rolled in annoyance. "Yeah, yeah! But I still don't get why you're so depressed!"

Sighing for the umpteenth time, Riku thrust his hand forward. A brilliant beam of light erupted from his palm, only to reveal a keyblade that had appeared after the flash. Grasping the handle tightly, the older teen raised Way to the Dawn towards the sky. His aquamarine irises, while tantalizing most of the time, were currently dimmed with guilt. Sora continued to watch curiously, but before he could comment, Riku began to speak.

"In your hand, take this key." Riku's words were cautious – he was trying to remember something. "So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be."

"...Riku, I don't-"

He paid no mind to Sora's interruption. Riku's gaze now seemed distant, as it was directed towards the sea. "And you will find me, friend... no ocean will contain you then."

Sora immediately clamped his mouth shut. Leaning on his wrist for support, he twisted his body to face the keyblade wielder.

"...No more borders around, or below, or above, so long as you champion the ones you love."

The island was blanketed with a sheet of silence. The seagulls had quieted their calls, but the waves refused to cease their assault on the beach. Cold seawater managed to sneak up to the tips of their feet before retreating to the ocean. Sora wasn't exactly sure how, but those words had struck a cord inside the depths of his very being. It was almost as if the entire world had paused its activities to reflect upon the oath. In no way did Riku's speech seemed familiar, but it was impossible to dismiss the feeling that he should have known the pledge by heart.

"Riku, that guy," the spiky-haired brunet breathed, sitting up to pull his knees to his chest. "Was he the one who told you this?"

"Yeah." Now standing up, Riku crossed his arms and looked down at his companion. At this point, Sora wouldn't be surprised if he was doing that to comfort himself. "I was blinded by the power I could have gained," he growled, nails digging into his well-built arms. "I didn't realize that I already had all the power I needed."

As he began to direct his gaze to the darkening sky, Riku failed to notice Sora's movements. Feeling a warm hand on his shoulder, aquamarine met cobalt as the two friends made eye contact. "You'll always have us by your side," Sora piped reassuringly. Pulling his hand back, the young hero released a goofy grin. "You can't worry about that stuff all the time. Kairi, King Mickey, and everyone else already forgave you when we crossed paths in that creepy castle."

Riku's eyes narrowed dangerously, but Sora still didn't waver. "I don't understand why you're so quick to forgive and forget," he hissed. A part of him regretted using such a vile tone, but he couldn't help it! Mistakes were made, and while he just wanted to rest, it would be impossible to do so until he was able to set things straight.

Unexpectedly, Sora's face hardened considerably; he was putting on his serious face. "You're our friend, Riku," he asserted, jabbing a finger at Riku's chest. "Sure, you made some mistakes, but we all do! It's our job to help you fix them, right?"

"But... I put you guys in danger..."

"You didn't put us in danger," he retorted with a smile. "We wanted to go look for you! We could have just stayed home, but we didn't 'cause our friend needed some help!" His hard stare softened to its normal, carefree state before he drew his finger away from Riku. "Even after everything, you did your best to wake me up. You did your best to make sure that Kairi was safe.

You were living up to that promise this whole time, Riku! Can't you see that?"

To say that the taller boy was bewildered would be a major understatement. His normally cool and collected demeanor was now ridden with surprise. Riku couldn't help but lower his head to avoid Sora's gaze while he sorted out his thoughts. _'Maybe...'_ the platinum-haired teen pondered, _'maybe I'm just overreacting. If I was unworthy, the keyblade would've left me a long time ago...'_

Now raising his head, he was met with a sheepish Sora, who was currently scratching the back of his head. "Too much?"

"Almost, but you're good," Riku replied, willing away his weapon to capture the other in a tight headlock. Laughing at Sora's fruitless protests, the teen promptly let go, allowing the other to lose his balance and fall into the sand with a muffled thud.

Looking upwards from the ground, Sora eyed Riku expectantly. "Do you regret meeting him?"

Startled from the question, he pursed his eyebrows in thought before shaking his head. "Nah. He may have inspired me to leave, but I know that he had good intentions. I mean, he looked like a freaking _giant_ , but there was something in his eyes that made me trust him. Like... a big brother, or something."

Humming in acknowledgment, Sora kicked at the sand. Glancing up at the sky, the oranges and pinks and reds began to dissolve into the darkening corners of night. The two listened to the symphony of insects that signaled the end of the day. They'd have to get going soon, or else they'd have to face Kairi's wrath. She never did like it when she was left behind...

"...crying?"

"Huh?" Baffled, the spiky-haired teen touched his sun-kissed cheeks with his fingertips, only to be greeted by moistness. "...What?"

"Why are you crying," Riku repeated, peering at his friend with genuine concern. The sympathetic look didn't last long, however, as it was quickly overshadowed with a taunting grin. "I know that I can say some pretty deep stuff, but don't take it to heart."

"Haha, very funny," Sora grumbled as he rose to his feet to brush the sand off of his body. There was an inexplicable feeling in his chest, but the strangest part was that it wasn't coming from _him_. His heart had always felt a little 'heavy', but the teen could sense some sort of... longing coming from it. It tugged at his being and infiltrated his senses.

Wincing, he patted his upper body with his hand. "...Someone's hurting."

Scoffing, Riku was already trekking to the pier while Sora idled behind him. " _We're_ gonna be hurting if we don't get back to Kairi's for dinner. You better hurry it up, or I'm leaving without you!"

"Argh, Riku! Don't!" The younger of the two sprinted after his friend, whose legs were still, unfortunately, longer. As they jumped onto the small and worn rowboat, Sora stretched out his limbs, relaxing his head on his crossed arms. It wasn't like he wanted to ignore the nagging feeling in his gut, but what other choice did he have? All the boy could do was hum an old song to alleviate his discomfort.

That night, he dreamt of star-shaped trinkets and meteor showers.

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 **A/N: Oh, and I forgot to mention: I'm totally open to requests. If there's anything specific you wanna see, feel free to drop it in a review or PM. ...Reviews would be appreciated, though. *coughs***


	2. Bonds

**A/N: Finally done. Sorry for the delay! I've been a little busy! Remember, if you have any requests, feel free to tell me!**

 **Again, I don't own anything. Unfortunately.**

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 **l** _Episode 02 - Bonds_ **l**

Aqua considered herself lucky for having such a lax schedule. She could easily relax on the cool sands of the beach, listening to the tide as it crept up to her toes. The temperature wasn't overbearingly hot and humid, nor was it uncomfortably cold. Instead, the air stood still around her, only to be disturbed each time she took a shallow breath. There was no need to get up early in the morning, and the absence of a curfew allowed her stay up for as long as she cared for.

Glaring at her feet, the keyblade master sighed. "Who am I kidding? This place is the _worst_."

Even though time was seemingly nonexistent in the Realm of Darkness, she sat on the shoreline with high hopes and quiet thoughts. Her cerulean irises were almost always fixed on the border that separated the sea from the sky. It didn't matter that she had no way of knowing how long she's been trapped – she would find a way out, even if it cost her an arm and a leg. She had trained herself long ago to push down any doubts, as negativity could do nothing but grow in this hell.

Perhaps she could learn how to ignore the bleakness of the colorless sky and its poor imitation of a moon. While it was large enough to cover the expanse of the horizon, the light didn't caress her skin. In fact, this moon barely emitted any light at all, and if it wasn't for her magic, Aqua would have been consumed by the thick, impenetrable darkness. Being unaware of one's surroundings guaranteed a quick death, and the young woman refused to take any chances. After all, if she was dead, she wouldn't be able to awaken Ven. If she had succumbed to an eternal sleep, she wouldn't be able to free Terra. The master's humbleness kept her ego at bay, but she took pride in being a woman of her word. Azure wayfinder in hand, Aqua would recite her promises like a mantra, hoping that the memories of her friends – no, her _family_ – would keep her grounded.

A sharp pang in Aqua's heart made the woman hiss with discomfort – there wasn't a day that passed by without the all-too familiar bubble of regret that choked her, threatening to spill out of her mouth. Loneliness, coupled with the stringent, hostile atmosphere, acted as bullets that threatened to pierce her resolve. Her mind would be plagued with what-ifs, slowly but surely eroding the woman's sanity. What if Ven had gone home, like she advised? What if Terra took the time to share his worries with her? She would never admit it, but there have been times where she was willing to place the blame on them. Their lack of obedience led to the destruction of their home and their future. If it wasn't for their stubbornness, she wouldn't be trapped in the Realm of Darkness, for crying out loud! Aqua was no stranger to the effects of anger, but the emotions that ricocheted in her heart were much more unforgiving.

Luckily, she had ceased to tolerate these temporary lapses in determination. Not only did these sentiments horrify her, but the chilling tendrils of darkness that grazed her shoulders was enough to snap Aqua out of her reverie.

 _'I must have been out of my mind,'_ the woman pondered idly as she straightened the sashes that rested on her hips. _'I couldn't possibly blame them; it wasn't their fault!'_ Grimacing, Aqua pulled her legs towards her chest and hugged them. Her light was strong enough to overshadow the smidgens of darkness in her heart, but recent events have revealed how difficult it is to retaliate against the occasional dark urge. Another wave of sorrow had struck her being as she replayed Terra's final words. If only she had realized sooner...

The keyblade master was so deep in thought, she failed to notice the soft crunch of the sand as it caved under the man's feet. Not that it mattered – the heartless often avoided this area for reasons unknown to them, and as far as she knew, there was only one other person that inhabited these shores. Stopping to lean against a misshapen rock, the stranger crossed his arms and eyed the woman curiously.

"Munny for your thoughts?"

Eyes widening with surprise, Aqua snapped her head towards the man. Taking in the familiar black coat, she exhaled faintly and gave him a ghost of a smile. "It's nothing important," the woman replied after a moment of silence. While she was mildly irritated by his sudden intrusion, she was also thankful for the distraction.

Their first encounter was short and sweet. While it wasn't too long ago (she was assuming, mostly because it was impossible to tell), Aqua felt as if he had been alongside her since she stumbled upon the Dark Meridian. A mysterious man, he was – the amnesia did nothing but limit the depth of their conversations. _'Maybe that's why I don't feel a difference,'_ the keyblade master mused to herself. Despite the stranger's presence, the two didn't feel the need to engage in small talk. Instead, they allowed the sea to whisper into their ears, almost as if it was trying to comfort them.

Aqua bit her cheek lightly, eyebrows scrunched together in thought. Whenever they were in the mood for chatting, the topics often revolved around mundane things. Once, he expressed his desire for sustenance in the form of ice cream. The man couldn't recall what it was called; all he knew was that the saltiness pricked one's tongue, only to be soothed by sweetness after. The woman nearly cringed at the thought of such a strange treat, but she had no right to judge. In response, she told him about Master Eraqus' favorite tea – Aqua had grown accustomed to the bitter taste, but Terra always swiped three extra sugar cubes under their superior's nose. After the harsher training sessions, the three of them would gather under a tree, sipping at their cups and exchanging light-hearted jabs before the inevitable scolding.

She almost chuckled at the memory. While laughter became a foreign concept to the keyblade master, she accepted the warmth of happiness with open arms. It combated the darkness's aggressive attempts to blossom, eradicating the remnants of hostility that clung onto the edges of her heart. These simple conversations, she discovered recently, served as tethers; they reminded the duo of who they were, protecting them from being oppressed by the grim circumstances they were forced under. And while Aqua was immensely grateful for this gift, her inquisitive nature hungered for more knowledge. Idle chatter about their favorite foods couldn't satiate this desire; she needed answers.

Digging her armored boots into the sand, her gaze shifted towards the stranger, whose name still eluded the both of them. Their first exchange proved that he had an inkling of what happened in the Realm of Light during her absence, but she was afraid of overwhelming the man with her curiosity. She had already bombarded him with a multitude of questions in the past, most of them being centered around the whereabouts of her two boys. Did they, at the very least, help Sora protect the worlds from eternal darkness? Heck, did he ever come across anyone who went by Terra or Ven?

Each inquiry, without fail, always ended with the frigid finality of the word "No".

Now here she was, debating whether or not she should bring up the young, spiky-haired teen who managed to save countless lives. In the past, Aqua wouldn't have hesitated to speak, but the stranger's amnesia was undeniably troublesome. He had forgotten his life and sense of self, only being able to remember a strong-hearted boy with an even stronger sense of justice. If the woman was forced to cope with memory loss, questions that she couldn't answer would undoubtedly upset her quickly. What made him any different?

 _'Then again, he didn't seem too upset when I tried asking him about his home world...'_ Deciding it was now or never, Aqua opened her mouth, ready to ask the man if he could describe anything else about their supposed 'savior'. But before she had the chance to form a proper word, he spoke.

"This shore is a remarkable place. Do you have any idea why?"

Startled, the woman shook her head slowly. It wasn't the topic she wanted to discuss, but this turn of events seemed interesting enough. "No. Please, explain it to me?"

"Looks can be deceiving," the stranger murmured, motioning towards the tall towers and arches of rock that littered the beach. "But you see, there is balance here. We were tossed into the depths of the Realm of Darkness, a place with unspeakable horrors lurking at every corner. An average human being wouldn't have been able to survive as long as we have. In fact, under normal circumstances, we should have perished long ago. What are the odds of us stumbling upon the very spot that possesses the highest probability of salvation?"

"I... I don't understand," the bluenette admitted, her shame evident by the rosy tint that dusted her cheeks. "I know that there is always light, even in the deepest darkness. But how can the two live in harmony _here_ , of all places?"

"Without a doubt, the darkness flourishes within its own realm. However, the Dark Meridian is a special case." His voice rumbled with a powerful tone of authority and intelligence. Aqua idly wondered if he was royalty in his past life. "These formations are not rocks, but solidified darkness. Behind this beach, its toxins swirl about freely, worming its way into the ears and lungs of the unfortunate." He tapped his knuckles against the 'rock' he was leaning on. "It seems that these shores have the strange ability to nullify any dangers that threaten it."

Lips pursed in thought, the woman pondered over the strange concept of equilibrium. "So," she began slowly, allowing the information to sink in. "Are you saying that we're on some type of neutral ground?"

He nodded. "Something to that effect, yes."

"But what do you think is transforming the darkness?"

A sigh. "This is not a matter of transformation. In place of conflict, there is mutual understanding. The Dark Meridian, desolation and all, enables the light and darkness to depend on one another in peace."

Aqua hummed softly. Prior to her Mark of Mastery Exam, she perceived the darkness as a malevolent force whose purpose was to extinguish the light of the universe. According to Master Eraqus, controlling the element was almost impossible; its promises of power tended to seduce its users, causing them to spiral deep into insanity. Their superior never allowed her or Terra to forget the possible consequences of allowing the darkness to manifest, and being the perfect little apprentice she was, Aqua was happy to oblige. She remembered how Terra struggled to understand why the darkness should be feared, and he often took the brunt of Eraqus' lectures.

The female trainee's response depended on how severe her classmate's punishment was. Sometimes they would sit in comfortable silence at the summit, eyes locked on the twinkling stars above. On a particularly bad day, she watched as he paced back and forth in his room, ignoring the threats and insults he spewed on impulse. While it was difficult to play ignorant as Terra's outbursts became more common, Aqua clung onto the belief that he would never fall victim to the darkness' empty, persuasive promises. She believed that her efforts, which were only amplified by Ven's appearance, would be enough to keep the poison from destroying the Terra they all knew and loved. As long as the three of them stuck together, Terra could fight against these powerful urges, hopefully smothering them to the point of no return.

The keyblade master couldn't help but glare at the incoming waves. Admitting she was wrong would be the understatement of the century. At the beginning of her journey, Aqua was nothing short of lost after she conversed with Cinderella's Godmother – after all, how could darkness possibly coexist with light? It took a cruel twist of fate for the bluenette to understand what her words truly meant. Carrying a comatose Ven, who always poured his boundless energy and optimism into the simplest of tasks, positioned a nail directly over her heart. Each time Xehanort managed to land a solid blow during their scuffle in Radiant Garden, the nail dug its way deeper, tearing away at her chest with unrestricted brutality.

 _'How could I have been so blind?'_ Hot tears threatened to escape her cerulean orbs. "I... I thought I could get rid of his darkness," Aqua whispered, voice trembling with trepidation. This earned the immediate attention of her companion, whose gaze was still focused on her shivering form. For a moment, she was glad that he was wearing an oversized hood – if he disapproved of her words, she wouldn't be able to see any scowls or frowns. "I followed Terra and Ven everywhere, hoping that maybe they'd listen and come back home, where everything would be right again."

A blanket of unnerving silence was cast over the two. While she was accustomed to periods of quiet reflection, the lack of a response was more disappointing than it should have been. Aqua was prepared to apologize, but the man's gravelly grunt made her pause. "And what did you learn?"

"That darkness is a part of him," she replied without missing a beat.

"I admit, it can be challenging for our minds to wrap themselves around such a concept," he confirmed. "The sins I have committed against the Realm of Light only verify this fact." Straightening his posture, the hooded figure walked towards the woman, stopping only when he was five feet from her. He made no movement to sit, but his head was pointed downwards. "There is little to nothing we can do to alter the effects of darkness. Surprisingly enough, the same is to be said for the light. Those two forces are above us, and tampering with them can only result in disaster."

Frowning, Aqua reached into her pocket and gripped her wayfinder tightly, enabling her to feel its pointed edges dig into the skin of her palm. "But I thought that keyblade masters were supposed to fight for the light? My master told me-"

"If I am not mistaken, you have mentioned that you are a master yourself," he objected, earning a wide-eyed stare from her. "Besides that, you're also a grown woman. I believe it's time for you to form your own opinions."

"I _do_ have my own opinions," Aqua asserted, eyes narrowing with irritation. "It's just difficult for me to look beyond what I've been taught for the majority of my life."

Another swell of water crashed onto the sands of the shore. An additional detail she had noticed before was that their views conflicted constantly. Despite the fact that he forgot the majority of his identity, the man's sharp wit and no-nonsense attitude had the ability to throw the woman off guard. Unlike Ven, he didn't settle for a simple explanation, and the stranger certainly didn't fight back like Terra. He was confident in his stances, and the keyblade master wasn't sure how to take the sudden opposition. _'Of course, I don't want to be rude,'_ she eventually settled with a defeated look. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."

"There's no need to apologize."

Shaking her head, Aqua focused on the ginormous moon that sat on the horizon. "You're right. I didn't understand before, but I think I do now." Reluctantly, the bluenette hoisted herself on her feet, brushing away the grains of sand that clung onto her clothing. Pulling her wayfinder out of the recesses of its sheath, she eyed the glossy surface with remorse. "I'm sorry for not realizing it sooner," she whispered under her breath. "If I had just listened to my own heart, you two would be safe..." At this point, holding back her tears took an incredible amount of willpower. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she took a moment to compose herself before turning to face the man.

"If I can't destroy his darkness, what am I supposed to do...?"

Crossing his arms, her companion thought quietly. "It's what you shouldn't do that bears the most impact," he responded with an affirmative nod of his head. "Understand that the darkness in his heart isn't a parasite, but a tiny piece of his humanity. You cannot wish to terminate it without repercussions."

"Instead, I need to help him cope with it, right? Beneath the darkness, he's still Terra..."

The hood he donned was able to mask his face at all times, but she could have sworn that she felt a smile. "In all my years, I have never felt a bond so tightly wound around two people. It's a miracle that you were able to squeeze another person in." Stepping towards the sea, he stood still as an incoming wave lapped up at his obsidian boots. "Even though darkness resides in everyone's hearts, it can be dangerous if left unattended. I'm assuming that this is what happened to your friend?"

Aqua shook her head vigorously. "Actually, I think we bothered him about it too much. Master Eraqus loathes darkness in any form, and since Terra was his first apprentice, his protective instincts must have kicked in."

"That's understandable," the stranger noted after a brief moment of silence. "But nonetheless, it was wrong of him to target the boy. At least you have come to accept this personally."

Scratching her cheek, Aqua gave him a timid smile. "Somewhat. I'm getting there." Seeing as the other made no other sound, she crouched down before shifting to kneel on the ground. Using her free hand, the woman began to draw delicate swirls on the sand, each varying in size. "You know," she wondered aloud, "I can see why some people are wary of Terra. He does look a little intimidating, but rest assured, it's only his stature."

Once again, the keyblade master silently swore that she felt him curl his lips in amusement. "You believe that the darkness has nothing to do with his allegedly 'terrifying' aura?"

As she shook her head, the stranger couldn't help but note the tears that were rolling down her flushed cheeks. The tears that she had tried so hard to withhold finally managed to escape. There was no sniffling or outright sobbing coming from the bluenette; it seemed as if she was ignoring them altogether. In contrast, however, her face was adorned with wistful smile. "He's a good person. Sure, he has a little bit more darkness than you or me, but that's just how he is. _Who_ he is." The hand that held the star-shaped charm shook slightly. "And I wouldn't have it any other way."

The man grunted as he moved away from the water, shaking the droplets that stubbornly clung onto his boots. "I sincerely hope that you manage to find your way back to each other."

Aqua snickered, hiding her smirk behind her hand. "Why the sudden bout of sympathy? As you said, I'm a grown woman - I believe I'm fully capable of handling my own destiny, thank you."

"It wouldn't hurt to humor an old man such as myself," he pointed out. "I don't know if you've noticed, but these conditions aren't exactly ideal for a vacation. I would greatly appreciate it if you took the time to make my retirement a tad more enjoyable."

The woman knew that his tasteless joke, while harmless, wasn't _that_ humorous. Yet she found herself shaking with hushed giggles, which were threatening to force their way out of her sealed lips. She couldn't remember the last time she allowed herself to laugh – after all, her situation wasn't exactly the funniest thing to poke fun at. _'I'm going crazy. Yeah, that's it.'_

Unable to hold it back any longer, Aqua threw her head backwards as she freed her laughter, allowing it to echo along the deserted shore and beyond.


End file.
